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With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time and no-kneading, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It's also ridiculously delicious!
I feel like I'm introducing you to an old friend, as I write about this fabulous, super easy focaccia bread. I've been making it for years now and no one ever seems to grow tired of it. It's perfect to accompany a nice dinner, for lunch sandwiches, for dipping in oil, for the best pizza ever, even for breakfast (yes, we even have a fabulous breakfast adaptation with cinnamon and raisins!).
The Ridiculously Easy label
The first time I made this easy focaccia bread I was thrilled with the results and knew that it had to go into our Café Ridiculously Easy Series. How does a recipe get labeled “ridiculously easy”? Well, here at The Café, it has to have certain characteristics to earn that prestigious label:
- A recipe that takes minimal effort and minimal hands-on time to put together. (Resting, rising or chilling time is not taken into consideration.)
- It’s also one that produces fabulous, super delicious results, ie, results that “appear” to have taken lots of time, talent, prowess and/or hard work.
- Ridiculously easy recipes have to work well on those busy days when time is short and expectations are high.
- And last, ridiculously easy recipes are perfect for entertaining, mostly because of the first two characteristics. They take the stress out of dinner parties and gatherings of families and/or friends and allow you more time to enjoy your guests. Bottom line? They are super simple, something anyone can do. (Shhhh! We’ll keep that part our secret.)
To sum it up briefly, these are the recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part!
An easy technique
I know, you might be looking at the pictures of this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread and thinking that I'm spoofing you about the "easy" part, right? I don't blame you - but it's true! Let me convince you by sharing (in a nutshell) how it comes together:
- Combine flour, instant yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and stir until the flour is well incorporated. Cover it up, pop the bowl into the refrigerator and forget about it until the next day.
- About two hours before baking time, lightly grease two pans with a bit of soft butter, line them with parchment paper and give each a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, divide the dough in two and plop it in the prepared pans. Now forget about it again as you putter around the house, catch up on emails, make some phone calls or whatever it is you need to do.
- After two hours, the dough will have filled the pans and be almost ready to bake. Top the dough with another drizzle of olive oil and have some fun with your fingers, poking holes in the soft dough (for that classic dimpled focaccia texture). Sprinkle the top with sea salt and/or herbs and you're done on your end.
- Now the oven does the magic, transforming the fluffy dough into crisp, golden circles of deliciousness that are perfect for sandwiches, with soups or to fill your dinner bread basket.
If you're still a bit dubious about how easy this bread is to make, we've put together a little video to demonstrate it:
See what I mean, so easy! Ridiculously easy!
Did you notice there's NO KNEADING? In the past, I always thought that you had to do a lot of work, including kneading to achieve a beautiful, rustic, richly flavored bread with lots of big, irregular holes.
In fact, the folks at King Arthur Flour have reported that one of the most common questions they get on their baker's hotline is "How do I get those big, irregular holes in my bread?" They devote a whole article to the complexity of how to achieve this texture - but guess what? With this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread it (magically) just "happens".
Another thing I love about this easy focaccia bread - in comparison to every other focaccia bread that I've made; this one has minimal fat. Each loaf (which makes 6-8 sandwiches or 8 generous bread servings) has only 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you google "focaccia bread" you'll see that most recipes have much more oil. One popular recipe from The Food Network includes a whole cup of olive oil - yikes!
How do you cut focaccia?
This is a question that people often ask. Since this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia bread is made in round baking pans, there are several options for cutting. I like to cut it in long strips which are perfect for dunking in oil, sauces or soups.
You can also cut it into wedges like a pie. One other suggestion is to cut it into three wide strips in one direction then turn the round loaf 90 degrees and cut it again in 3 wide strips yielding varying sized pieces.
Expect rave reviews!
Have I convinced you? Are you ready to feel like a little Italian breadmaker? You probably have everything you need to make this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread. Whip up a batch of dough tonight and tomorrow your family just might think they've been transported to a wonderful Panificio (the Italian word for bakery) as the incredibly delicious fragrance of baking bread wafts through the house!
Café Tips for making this Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread
- I like to use bread flour if I have it - but it isn't necessary. Bread flour is higher in protein and is supposed to create more stability, form, and rise in the dough, allowing it to lift and hold shape. I have used both bread flour and all-purpose flour with good results.
- I use one of these Danish Whisks to easily mix up my dough. They're inexpensive and make whipping up any dough super simple. With this particular brand, you get two professional-grade whisks. Keep one for yourself and give the other to a baking friend. He/she will think quite fondly of you every time they mix a batch of dough!
- While we're talking about mixing the dough, make sure all of the flour is well incorporated and there are not any little pockets of dry flour. I always stir it up until I think it's well mixed and then stir a little more.
- You can cut this easy focaccia bread into wedges or crossways, into strips. I love cutting it in strips, crisping it up in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and serving it with soup. Just brush the cut sides of the bread lightly with olive oil then heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the bread and cook on both sides until golden. Delish!
- Be sure to grease your pan (with butter) and line with parchment paper. An easy way to line your pans with parchment? Take a piece of parchment slightly larger than the diameter of your pan. Fold it in half and then in quarters. Fold the quarter in half and then in half one last time. You will end up with a long skinny triangular-shaped wedge. Turn the pan you want to line upside down. Place the tip of your parchment paper triangle at the approximate center of the pan and lay it flat so the unfolded edges are lying over the edge of the pan. Trim the paper with a scissors, about a quarter inch in from the edge of the pan. Unfold and line your pan with the circle you created.
- This recipe calls for Instant Yeast which is also called Rapid Rise Yeast. It's quite magical as it doesn't require proofing like regular yeast does. Don't try to use regular yeast in this recipe. You can find Instant or Rapid Rise Yeast at most grocery stores, right next to the regular yeast. You can also buy it in bulk and store it indefinitely in the freezer. It's infinitely cheaper buying yeast in bulk vs purchasing it in the little packets.
- Don't worry about exact time with the initial rising of this easy focaccia bread. I have done as little as eight hours and as much as 24. Your results will be wonderful as long as it rises at least 8 hours. The second rise (in the pan) should be at least 2 hours (or until the dough has nicely risen). If your kitchen is really warm, it may take a bit less time. Rather than using an exact time, use the appearance of the dough as your guide - it should be close to filling the pan.
- Don't be shy when you "dimple" the dough, just before baking. You want to poke your fingers in all the way to the bottom of the pan and actually make little holes with your fingers. This will ensure nice deep dimples that won't disappear in the oven.
- Dry or fresh herbs can be used to top this bread. I like to use dry Italian seasoning or fresh rosemary or thyme. Chives and sage would also be delicious.
- Use flaky sea salt to top this bread. It gives a nice little crunch and a pretty presentation. I like Maldon. It's more expensive than kosher or regular salt but a box will go a long way. Use it as a "finishing" salt rather than using everyday salt.
- As mentioned above, this Easy Focaccia Bread is fabulous as a dinner bread, with salads, for sandwiches, for a dipping bread... Sometimes I drizzle a little oil in a sauté pan, add the focaccia and let it cook over medium heat until it's golden and crisp. So good! It's fabulous to serve with soup, like this Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
- And if you love focaccia, I've adapted this recipe a bit to result in a little healthier version with a portion of whole wheat flour and lots of delicious, nutritious seeds. You can check the recipe out here: Ridiculously Easy Seeded Focaccia.
- And last but definitely not least, we have a sweet version of this focaccia that takes only 2 hours, start to finish with 10 minutes of hands-on time. Check out this Ridiculously Easy Cinnamon Raisin Focaccia for an incredibly delicious breakfast/brunch treat!
Thought for the day:
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
and on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
and I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
and shall sing of Your righteousness.
Psalm 145:5-7
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It's also ridiculously delicious!
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 cups warm tap water
- 1 teaspoon soft butter for greasing pan
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Italian seasoning or finely chopped fresh herbs
- flaky sea salt I like Maldon
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In a medium-large bowl, combine flour, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well. Add the warm water. Using a Danish Whisk, sturdy wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix until all of the flour is well incorporated (there should be no small pockets of flour. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
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Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into the center of each pan. Divide dough in half with a large spoon or rubber spatula and place one piece of dough in each pan, turning to coat with oil. Tuck edges of dough underneath to form a rough ball.
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Cover each pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough balls to rest for 2 hours (it may take as long as 3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen). The dough should cover most of the pan.
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Preheat oven to 450˚F with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.
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Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over each round of dough. With oiled fingers, using both hands, press straight down and create deep dimples that go all the way through the dough (in other words, you'll actually be making deep holes.) If necessary, gently stretch the dough as you dimple to allow the dough to fill the pan.
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Sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning (or fresh herbs) and flaky sea salt.
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Transfer the pans to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 425˚F. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the tops are golden and the undersides are crisp. Remove pans from the oven. With a metal spatula remove bread rounds from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
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Serve warm or allow to cool completely then store in a zippered bag.
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To freeze, allow bread to cool completely, then transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze. Thaw and enjoy at room temperature or warm for 10 minutes in a 350˚F oven.
Katrina says
This is a question after a friend raved about this bread. I have a ton of active dry yeast in my pantry and really would like to not have to buy instant yeast. Can I make this substitution with equally good results? Please say yes! Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, you can Katrina. You will need to proof the yeast though. To do this, simply combine the yeast with ¼ cup of the warm water (make sure it's nice and warm). With regular yeast, I like to add a pinch of sugar to make sure it activates. Stir the mixture, then let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Then proceed with the recipe adding the proofed yeast along with the remaining 1¾ cups of water.
Jen says
Followed the recipe to the letter, but the bread never rose at all and baked like a rock hard disc. The constant pop up videos make this website very hard work.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jen, sorry you did not have success with this recipe. I think that your yeast must have been bad. I haven't had anyone else, out of hundreds of emails, report a problem with no rising.
Regarding the videos, again, I'm sorry that you were annoyed by them, however, the ads and the videos are the reason that we can offer quality, tested recipes for free.
You might want to give the recipe another try, with good yeast and following the instructions as written. At the same time that I got your email, I got another that said "I’ve been making your ridiculously-easy-focaccia-bread all summer with fresh garden herbs and my family thinks I’m a genius!"
It is an easy and delicious recipe!
Connie says
I put mine in two 8x11 baking pans and added a little garlic to the top with the Italian seasoning and sprinkled one of them with shredded Romano! Oh my!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! Thanks, Connie, so glad you enjoyed it!
Carol Manning says
I can only find "cake yeast" ( little cubes ) in the refrigerated section in the grocery store. Will that work?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Carol, that will definitely work but you will have to proof it first.
WB J says
Hi I only have active dry yeast. Should I proof before adding to the recipe??
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, if you're not using instant yeast, definitely proof it. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Patti from Canada says
WOW! WOW! WOW! Rosemary & flaked salt / Herbes de Provence & flaked salt
Chris Scheuer says
Your adaptations sound yummy, Patti! Thanks for sharing your results!
Mhaly says
Hello Chris + Scott,
THANKs to you I can proudly announce that I made my very first Focaccia bread yesterday —using your awesomely easy recipe. After making the adjustment when using regular active-yeast ( details kindly provided by one of your reviewers), I followed the recipe to the T, and my gosh, it delivered. The bread came out looking as good as the one in your photos and, my family could barely wait for it to cool down to start enjoying with our prepared olive oil+ balsamic vinegar dip. The texture and taste were spot on! So good, both loaves are finito and prompted me to write this, my first online review 🙂
Keep safe & healthy,
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome! We're thrilled that you and your family enjoyed it. Now you can have delicious bread anytime you get the urge 😋
Jan says
Look no further for a focacia bread recipe than this one. I was anxious not to chill dough but did, for 24 1/2 hours. I think you could use a variety of spices. I added fresh basil only because I have it growing. 1 pan eaten/gone in a few hours (only 2 of us in the household). Told my husband I just can't make this anymore, it's way way too good. He said "how about just for company then" - as if I was really serious...LOL Was never a focaccia fan before but will now always make my own (regularly). Thank you so much for this awesome recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I know what you mean about not making this anymore! 😂 Thanks for sharing this awesome review, Jan!
jan says
do you have to put it in the frig and make later? Could you make it all at one time?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jan, you can make it without refrigeration although I think you get a better depth of flavor with the slow rise in the refrigerator.
Lauren Mayhew says
The metric measurements for this one are very wrong. The US measurements have about 50% water compared with flour, but the metric is around 90% water compared with flour. You can probably guess what my 'dough' looked like to begin with 🤣 I added a more flour and it seems to have come together well. Haven't tasted it yet, but it looks delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lauren, sorry if this was confusing for you. This is supposed to be a very wet dough. It's not a dough that you could knead on the counter. I think the confusion came with the word "cups". Here in the US, a dry cup and a liquid cup are totally different. Flour is measured with a dry measuring scoop, usually plastic or metal. A cup of flour is approximately 120-128g, depending on the type of flour you use.
A liquid cup is measured with a different type of measuring device, usually a clear glass container with a spout. A cup of water is 235 ml, so the metric measurements are actually quite accurate on this recipe.
I use a conversion tool that is part of my recipe plugin. Sometimes it's slightly off but not by enough to cause a problem with the recipe. The conversion tool seems to get more and more accurate as new updates come out so I just went back and re-did the conversion from US Customary to Metric. It changed slightly but not much.
Sorry our American measuring is so confusing and uses the word "cups" for two totally different measurements but I can't change that 😞
Lauren Mayhew says
No problem at all! It turned out delicious in the end with the addition of a little more flour. The dough was definitely sticky after the second prove. I'll be making this one again and again!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it!
Julie Pietras says
This bread is SO good. Delicious and wonderful and I could go on with adjective after adjective but that could be over the top. Thanks for the great recipe. Blessings!
Julie Pietras
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Julie, for sharing your review. We love this bread too! 💕
Hattie says
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! With COVID-19 I am not able to go to the store that sells focaccia. Now I can make it myself and it is even better than the store bought! Thank you for sharing this recipe. A new favourite for me.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Hattie! All this craziness is good for some things!
Jane says
Thank you for sharing another great recipe! I told my husband the house smells as great as the bread tastes!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Jane! So happy you enjoyed this recipe1 💕
Chris Scheuer says
That so awesome, Jane! It is an amazing aroma!
Stacy says
Can I use this as a pizza base and if so, do I bake it first and then bake it again with the toppings on? Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Stacy, I have used this as a pizza base. I par-bake it, then add the toppings and finish baking. I did this in a sheet pan. Here's one of the recipes I've done:https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ridiculously-easy-roasted-veggie-pizza/
Jolene Healy says
I would love to find these recipes in my email.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jolene,
If you go to the blog and look at the top there’s a black bar. On the black bar, there’s a window to add your email. Just fill in your email and click “subscribe”. You will get an email that will ask you to “confirm”. Just click on the word “Confirm” and you’ll then start getting all of our new recipes in your email.
Jane Walker says
First time I’ve made focaccia bread, it was so easy, and tasted amazing, thank you for the recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your results, Jane!
Mel says
It seemed like the first rise was great - the dough doubled like it was supposed to. But the second rise barely happened, even after 2 hours. I finally went ahead & put the pans in the oven, and the finished bread had really good flavor, but it was much denser/heavier than I expected - more like two big hockey pucks than two loaves. Any ideas?
Chris Scheuer says
Hmm... that's hard to say, Mel, without having been right there in the kitchen with you. One reason why dough sometimes doesn't rise as well on the second rise is that it over-rises the first time and then it just doesn't have enough strength to go again. Just let it rise until it's double on the first rise.
Shawnabelle says
This recipe is AMAZING! So easy, and delicious.
Because everyone is obsessed with baking right now thanks to the plague, yeast has been hard to come by. I was forced to but regular Active Yeast instead of instant.
I have to say, the results are amazing. Even preferable. I find it rises a bit more, and has a bit more "chew". Just a bit.
The adjustment for using active yeast is as-follows.
Put half the warm water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top. Allow to "bloom" for 5 minutes. Add the rest of ingredients and continue recipe with the regular directions.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Shawnabelle, for sharing your results and adaptations. I know it will be helpful to other readers to know that it also works with active dry yeast.
Lisa says
Thank you for this amazing and delicious recipe, I just made it and my whole family loved it.
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so happy you enjoyed this bread, Lisa! Thanks for taking the tie to leave a comment!
Surj Parhar says
This is my first time making foccacia bread and I can't believe I hit the nail on the head the first time with this recipe. I used bread flour and gosh this bread was so light and airy and delicious. It rose beautifully and I did take the suggestion of using bread flour. My kids and I did the prep together. My son greased the pan and cut out the parchment circles and had fun making the holes in the dough with their fingers! I would suggest being quite liberal with the salt and also the herbs as it's hard to know how much to put. I can't wait to try the brioche buns next! I love recipes like this that don't sacrifice on the taste and texture and is wonderfully easy to do, and a great way to get your kids involved. Thank you for a this keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Surj, I'm so happy you had great success! So great that you had your kids joining you in this venture. You're giving them great memories and some wonderful life skills!
Briana says
I have made this recipe a few times now and it is the best ever! Not only is it so easy and delicious but it's so flexible for alterations. I have followed the trend of making beautiful garden focaccia- so adding toppings like pepper, tomato, onion, and herbs to make it look like a garden. I am so glad I came across this recipe, thank you very much!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Briana, for taking the time to share your results. I'm been doing some of the garden focaccia too. So fun!
Arati Menon says
Hi can I divide the quantities in half to make just one loaf as a tester?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes! That will work fine, Arati!
Lori says
This recipe sounds like the ultimate comfort food! In the current quarantine world though, fast-rising yeast seems to be in short supply. I have regular yeast - will that work?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lori, just proof your yeast with some of the water before adding it to the mix and you'll be fine.
Jackie says
This bread tastes exactly like the bread used in Italian cafes for panini. Thank you for sharing. I’ve missed it so much! I have also topped this with everything bagel seasoning and it is also delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
That's so awesome, Jackie! A taste of Italy! Thanks for sharing your results.
Lisa VK says
This bread is everything indicated by the recipe and SO much more!!! Out of sheer covid boredom I decided, last night, to try making focaccia bread. I found this recipe and decided that it looked the easiest out of all of the ones I had read, mixed it up and popped it in the fridge before bedtime.
It just came out of the oven and all I can say is - Oh my gosh, my husband, our 10 year old and I are dying over how delicious this is!!!!! Seriously, how do s this SO stinking easy?!?!
The only modification I made was to brush the top and add the toppings before the 2nd rise; I used sea salt, Italian mix, rosemary and some fresh chopped parsley and fresh chopped cilantro. I also baked mine in a jelly roll pan as I wanted the traditional shape of focaccia but didn’t want it overly thick by using a 9x12 pan.
This. Recipe. Is. Perfection.
Thanks so much for sharing xo
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! It truly is stinking easy, Lisa! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Your adaptation sounds delicious!
Nancy M Carlson says
Hi Chris,
I wanted to make this today, but I do not have a Danish Whisk. Is there
anything else I could use instead?
Thank you.
Nancy
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nancy, you can just use a sturdy spatula. I use a silicone spatula with a wooden handle.
Nancy M Carlson says
Thank you so much for replying. I am about to make another batch today. Going to double the amount and freeze the extra loaves. It is really easy and delicious. Thumbs up.
Thank you so much for this recipe. You have so many really good recipes.
Sincerely,
Nancy Carlson
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Nancy! 💕💕